Feeding mechanism.



A. RUZICKA. y FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I4. 1917.

$262, Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

- A. RUZICKA.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

' APPHCATION FLED. AUG.14, T917. LQQQ, l Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. RUZICKA.

FEEDlNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.I4. 1917.

Patented Apr. 9,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3f.

.ANTGN RUZICKA, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application led August 14, 1917. Serial No. 186,166.

To all whom z't may concern Be it known that I, ANTON RUZICKA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of press studs for separable fasteners one member of which consists of a socket provided with a spring and the other member of which consists of a head with slots in the sides into which the springs snap when the members are pressed together.

The present machine is designed to bend or curl the edge of the base of the head or stud members after they are stamped out, and comprises an improved feeder for feeding the members to the curling die.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine in a central position and moving in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the machine in the extreme left hand position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line H of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail in plan of a part of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a detail in section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 1 indicates a base having a circular projection 2 on the top thereof. lilounted on this projection 2 is a hard steel plate 3 with a groove therein as hereafter described, and resting upon the plate 3 is a steel plate 4, slotted as hereafter described. At the roar edge of the plate 4 is a projection 5 which is fastened bv screws 7 to the sliding rod 6 which slides in guides 71.

At the front of the base is a cylindrical container or magazine 8 in the bottom of which is mounted a conical corrugated wheel 9 carried by a shaft 10 provided with pulley 11 and rotated b v belt 12.

The plate 4 has at its left'side a projection 14 on which are mounted angle irons 13 between which works a roller 15 carried by a lever 16 with a cam slot 17 therein.I and by vibrating the lever 16 the plate 4 is slid back and forth. The front right hand corner of the plate 4 is cut away as indicated at 18 and this recess contains a plate 19 provided with a rod 20 extending sidewise and working in a guide brac tet 21 on the plate 4 and a bracket 22 on anarm 23 projecting from said plate. A coiled spring 24 around the rod 20 bears at one end against bracket 22 and at theother end against a collar 24 on the rod, and tends to advance the plate 19 inwardly, the movement being limited by the collar 24 which stops against the bracket 21.

Theplate 4 has a slot 25 cut therein. This slot is Zig-zag at angles of degrees, and at the points of the angles the slot is ex- `tended outwardly as shown at 26, one edge of the extensions being in line with the points or corners 27. At its inner or far end the slot ends in a circular opening 28. In the under plate 3 is a slot 23a which is about the same width as the diameterjof' the head of one of the studs, and this terminates at this inner end in an opening 29 one side of which laps a passage 30 extending through the castings 1 and 2. y

A grooved passage 32, whose width is the same as the diameter of the base of the stud, is cast or cut in the face of the extension 2 of the base plate. The slot 28a and groove 32 register with an opening 33 in the wal! of the container 8, the shape of this opening corresponding to the cross section ofthe stud when the stud is right side up, so that the stud cannot pass through the opening unless its head isupright. The inner end of the groove 32 is deepened slightly as indicated at 34 to receive a removable guide block 35 which works therein. Mounted on this guide block is a pin 3G which works in a crooked slot 37 inthe plate 4.

In operation, the studs are placed in the container 8, and as the corrugated wheel 9 rotates, they are carried around unt-il they.

strike a stop 3S at one side of the opening 33 and are forced through said opening. .Vhen thermovable plate 4 is in the extreme right hand position the stud is forced through the opening 33 into the mouth of the slot 28a and the groove 32. Then as the plate 4 moves to the left the point 39 on the part 19 at the entrance to the slotl 25 engages the head of the stud which projects above the slot 28a and forces it into the slot 25, the plate 19 yielding t pression of 4the spring 24 to permxt'the by comilo End

movement, andas the plate 4 continues to move to the left the stud will be forced along in the slot 28a and the groove 32. the plate 4 reaches its eXtreme left hand position the heads of the studs, which are thus picked up one by one, Will be advanced into the extension slot 26 as shown in Fig. 2, andv then as't'he plate 4 moves to the right the points 27 Will pick up the heads and advance the studs to the next corner of the zig-zag slot, and so on, until finally the studs will ride or be delivered onto the extension 40 on the carrier 35, as shown in Fig. 3, at which point the head of the stud will be engaged between Wires or spring fingers 41 projecting from the carrier, as shown in Figa-5. Then, as the plate 4 continues to move to the right, the pin 36 on' the carrier 35 will ride uptheinclined .part 42 of the slotj37'and'shift the carrier 35 backwardly or rearwardly. This brings the stud over a bushing 43 which has one side thereof raised as shown at 44, and the stud will then drop down into the circular groove 45 in the bushing, the movement of the stud being stopped by the extension 44 on the bushing. When. the stud has reached this position the plate 4 is attheextreme right hand position, at Which time the openings 23, 29 and the bushing 43 vare in line.

.The plunger 46 is mounted in guide brackets 47 and is operated by any suitable mechanismv connected by an arm 48 to theV crosshead 52. This plunger moves up and down at proper times, and When the parts are registered as above stated the plunger or press descends and forces the stud down in the groove 45 which .curls the flange or edge 49 of the stud and compresses the same againstv the bushing. After the plunger 46 lifts.-`the plate 4 moves to the left and the shoulder 50 at the end of the slot 25 engages the head of the stud and shifts it over to the left until it registers With the hole 30 through which it drops into a receptacle placed to receive it.

' The plunger 46 has a recess 51 in its face to receive the head of the stud When the punch descends. Mounted on one side of the cross head 52 is an angle iron 53 which carries a pin 54 which rides in the cam lslot 17, and so Aoperates the lever 16 and moves theI pl'ate4 back and forth in the manner described. Y

By the means indicated, the studs, after bei-ng partially formed in other machines, are acted uponA b v this machine to finish or 'curl the edge of the bases of the studs, the machine being automatic With respect to its feeding andy bending', operations.

I claim.: In ,a feeding-mechanism, they combina- .tion of a: container having an-.iopening inl the side', a; corrugated Wheelretatingfin the hote .tom -ofjfsaid containenand adapted tof-force YVhen an article' out of said opening, a guide Way leading from said opening, and means to advance lthe articles along said guide Way.'

in@n from said opening, and a plate reciproeating above said guide Way and having an inclined slot in which a projection on said article is engaged to advance the latter along the guide Way.

4.111 a feeding mechanism, thecombina-v tion With a guidey Way along which articles are to be fed, of a plate reciprocating. across said guide yWay and lhaving a zigeza'gseat in which said articles are-engaged, whereby the inclined edges-of the slot Will advance the articles along the guide'vvay` v 5. In a feeding mechanism, the combination of a container having adelivery open.; ing, means to force articles one by one through saidopening, a guide Way leading from said opening, and a plate reci rocating across the guidevvay, said plate aving Y a zigzag slot in which the articles are-engaged, and a spring-pressed point at the entrance of said slot, tovpick up the articles and force'them into the slot.

6. In a feeding mechanism, the combina'- tion With a guide Way along which articles are to be fed, of a plate reciprocating'a'cro'ss said guide iva'y'and havinga zigzag slotin which said articles are engaged, Wherebythe inclined edges'of the slot will advance the articles along the guide Way said slot having c extensions/at the corners thereof, for the purpose stated.

.17. In a feeding mechanism for blanks having projecting heads, the" combination'with a guide Way having a slotted. topplate through which the heads project, of a-plate reciprocating across said top plate and having Yan inclined slot in vvhich'said projecting heads engage, to advance theblanksalong the guide Way.

8. In a feeding mechanism,th'e combina-y tion with a guide Way for blanks, havinga discharge opening at the end thereof.'y of, a plate reciprocating across said guide-Way and having a zigzag slot in which the blanks are engaged,the end of the slot adapted to register with said discharge opening in one position of the: plate Y, Y

f 9. The combination. with a diev press, of guide yWay 4,leading ithereto, to-deliver able across the guide way and having an inclined slot in which the blanks are engaged, said slot terminating in an opening adapted to regster with the dies in one position of the plate and through which opening one of the die members operates.

10. The combination with a die press having a lower member and an upper. plunger, of a guide way leading to the lower member, to deliver blanks thereto, and a plate movable across the guide Way and having an inclined slot in which the blanks are engaged, saidslot Jterminating in an opening adapted to register with the dies in one .E position of the plate and through which opening the plunger operates.

1l. The combination with a die press having a lower member and an upper plunger, of a guide way leading toward the lower member, a sliding carrier working from the end of the guide way to said member, and means to deliver blanks along said guide way and to said carrier.

12. The combination with a die press having a lower member and an upper plunger, of a guide way leading toward the lower member, a sliding carrier working from the end of the guide way to said member, and means to deliver blanks along said guide way and to said carrier, said carrier having a pair of spring ingers to grip a blank so delivered.

In testimony whereof, I do aix my signaal.

two witnesses.

ture in presence of ANTON RUZICKA. Vitnesses JOHN A. BOMMHARDT,

G. WV. RosENBERG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

